Method for producing and exhibiting sound motion pictures



Dec. 31, 1940. o. A. Ross METHOD FOR PRODUCING AND EXHIBITING SOUND MOTION PICTURES Filed April 17, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR O. A. ROSS Dec. 31, 1940.v

. METHOD FOR PRODUCING AND EXHIBITING SOUND MOTION PICTURES Filed April 17, 1936 2 Sheehs-Sheet 2 Gnome-woo TmNMBTmN BQmMNSTmN.E

Q Q n D D Q Q A Q Q Q a Q a Q Q Q Po Q Q 5 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFICE Oscar A. Boss, New York, N. Y.

Application April 17, 1936, Serial No. 75,393

' Ciaims. (Cl.8816.2)

This invention relates to methods for recording, editing, processing and exhibiting sound motion pictures, and forms a continuation in part application of my co-pending application Serial 5 No. 386,664, filed August 17, 1929. I

This invention comprehends the use of separate sound recording camera and picture recording camera for recording sound on separated sound and picture films, the sound recording cameratending parallel to the picture track, the frames of the former silent pictures being reduced in width to permit' inclusion of said sound track parallel thereto. In this invention the sound camera'records sound onto a sound film, the area onto which the sound is recorded corresponding to the sound track of the single film'. Adjacent to said sound track are photpgraphically recorded successive numerals indicating the successive pictures correlated to the recorded sound. The picture camera records the pictures onto the area of the picture film corresponding to the picture track of said single iilm. Onto the area corresponding to the track of the single film are also photographically recorded successive numerals corresponding to. the numerals recorded onto the'index track of the sound film, the nu;-

a meral indicating the picture correlated thereto being recorded immediately adjacent said picture whereas in recording the numeral on the index track of the sound film said-numeral is displaced film, this spacing being the present standard be-.

tween the sound and picture gates or light apertures of present soundmotion picture projectors. By thusly spacing the numerals on the index 5 track of the mud film with respect to the portion of the sound record correlated thereto, both the sound and picture films may be cut at registering numerals with the assurance that the sound and pictures will synchronize when the sin- 50 gle film including both the sound and picture records thereon, or films printed therefrom are projected. This invention further comprehends the production of peculiar sound motion picture exhibition films or release prints which may be 55 projected for sound motion picture exhibition in differing languages, the dialogue only of a sound motion picture film being deleted from the sound track whereby the incidental sound or music on said sound track will be reproduced in the regular manner during projection. When this form of film is projected the dialogue is produced in the desired language independently of the "sound reproduced by said sound motion picture film from which the dialogue has been deleted. The desired foreign dialogue may be reproduced from an auxiliary soimd film advanced through a sound head operated in synchronism with the projector advancing the sound motion picture film or said desired foreign dialogue may be spoken by persons viewing a sound chart advanced in synchronism with said projector, the spoken die-.- logue being suitably amplified and reproduced by the loud speaker at the screen.

'Ihis' invention further comprehends the use of the index sound and-picture films for producing sound motion pictures in difiering or foreign languages, the index. and sound records of saidsound film being projected in non-spaced or synchronous relation and in synchronism with the projection of the indexed picture record correlated thereto, analyzing the dialogue of the sound record and preparing, indexed dialogue sound charts in any one or more differing languages, said sound chart being advanced for either producing a foreign dialogue during sound motion picture exhibition by reading said charts, or for producing foreign dial e sound film to .be printed or rerecorded onto the sound track In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein the app icant has illustrated embodiments of the invention, and, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

a sound motion picture production, and Fig. '2 diagrammatically illustrates the step of composing asound character depicting print chart or record, and Fig. 3 is a plan view ofa mask, and Fig. {is a diagrammatic 7 view of a motion picture theater and arrangement of apparatus for carrying-out the step of exhibition, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of Figure 1 illustrates the step of initially record- 2 andFig.8isadiagrammaticviewofamodified arrangement of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, motion picture arranged to record successive reference numerals 8 of numeral depicting apparatus, or counter I onto track it of sound film ll, advanced in said cameras. The sound recording camera 6 advances film ii continuously whereas the index recording camera I advances said film intermittently and therefore a loop as if is formed therebetween, the distance between sound and action recording being preferably 14% inches as a recognized standard. Cameras 8 and 1 are driven in synchronism with camera I by shaft I! or other suitable drive. Cameras 9 and I are preferably fixed and located in space remote from the space in which the pictures are recorded.

Camera 1 is fitted in known manner with a mask as [4, having action track aperture II and sound track aperture i8, and a numeral depicting apparatus, as 9. is positioned whereby the numerals I thereof will intercept the portion ofthe image beam recorded by the camera objective registering with the sound aperture ll of mask i4, whereby said numerals are photographically recorded onto track if of film ll adjacently parallel to the action track I! thereof, and as shown by Fig. 6. Camera 1 is also suitably masked, the mask having an aperture similar to aperture i, but reduced in area and numeral depicting apparatus 9 is positioned with respect to the objective of said camera whereby the displayed numerals as 8, will be photographically recorded onto numeral depicting track 2| of film l I, see Flg. 5, camera i is preferably mobile to follow the action when so required.

A suitable gain or amplifying unit as 22 is arranged to amplify the modulated energy impulses produced by microphone I and transmitted to glghtlvialve "arranged to record the sound onto The numeral I or index depicting apparatus a-s are preferably driven by camera I through shaft 25 whereby the numerals as i are advanced one character each time the films I I and II are advanced one frame by cameras I and 1.

Referring to Fig. 2, showing amode of composing a sound character depicting print, as 89, formed on record member ii, the table or support 32 is preferably arranged to rotatably support rollers or spools 48- having record tape, or ribbon member ll wound thereon whereby said member may be advanced longitudinally across said table and relatively transversely to the center line 34 thereon. Said record member II is formed with sound depicting tracks, as "-3! arranged to have depicted sound characters or words as "-4! scribed thereon by operator II, also a frame track scale, as I! having frame indicating divisions 3! indicating single frame ll of a motion picture film. Also supported by spools -40 rotatably supported by table II is the dialogue print I more fully described in my 1 application Serial No. 381,793, filed July 29, 1929,

; maturing into Patent No. 2,147,499, granted February 14, 1939, and whereon the lines or dialosue i together with-such other sound characters of sound to be produced during a sound motion picture exhibition are displayed for reference purposes and in synchronism with a motion picture frame'track as 42. In the absence of the dialogue print as II, the book of lines, as lid, of the production being revocalized may be substituted therefor.

Projector 45 of known form is arranged to advance film it, or preferably a positive print thereof, a single frame is each time button 46 is depressed by operator 31, however said projector is modified to include a circuit closer arranged to also actuate projector 41 through cable 4., whereby projector 41 advances film ii one frame each time film It is advanced one frame by projector 40. Or button 46 may be arranged to have two circuit closers therein whereby both of said closers are actuated to operate the projectors 4i and 41 simultaneously.

Pojector 41 is similar to projector 45, how-' ever is modified to include two film advancing mechanisms, light sources and optical systems, as 49 and II, the axes of which are preferably 14% inches apart, at the film and converge whereby the frame portion of sound track it recorded onto film ii and projected by the mechanism 49, will be synchronized with the numeral frame 8-0 of the numeral track II as and when projected onto screen II by the mechanism 60. The optical systems of mechanism 49 and BI are directed and focussed whereby the system of mechanism ll depicts numeral frames in of track II onto screen Ii of table "and directly above display of the sound track il projected onto said screen by the optical system ofmechanism 4!, the center line ll intersecting the center of each synchronous frame so displayed. 7 The optical system of projector 45 is arranged to project the action frames is and correlated numeral index frames I! of the action film ll onto screen ll, preferably directly below the displayed sound track l0, and whereby the center of the frames ll register with the center line 34. The optical systems of mechanisms 49 and B are preferably of 'a magnitude whereby the sound waves as Ila are comparatively highly magnified as compared with the action frames I and therefore may be more readily analyzed for detecting the sounds produced during the recording of said waves.

, The record member ii of dialogue or sound character-depicting print II is formed with perforations as Ila for subsequently advancing said print at a predetermined rate of travel in the presence of one or more persons for effecting the reproduction and re-recording of the sounds as more fully described in my application, Serial No. 381,793, filed July 29, 1929, maturing into Patent No. 2,147,499, granted February 14, 1939, however for the purposes of this invention it is similarly advanced as will be more fully hereinafter described. 1

Figure shows the sound film I i having sound record Ila recorded onto soimd track ll, parallel to which has been photographically recorded index numerals la, for example, 01234 successively to 01240 onto index track 2 I. The particular section of sound record correlated to numeral 01234 is, however, recorded a distance 14% inches away from said numeral longitudinally of the sound track. Therefore when similar numerals of the sound and picture tracks areregistered for editlng, printing or re-recordlnlethe sound .and pictures will be properly correlated with respect to the spacing of the soimd andipicture apertures in present sound motion picture projectors.

Figure 6 shows the indexed picture film I9 having picture frames I9 recorded in picture track I9a. Also index numerals 01234 to 01236 photographicaliy recorded onto the indexed track Ila, said index numerals being correlated to the similar index numerals recorded on index track 2I of sound film II. Whereas the index numerals on sound film II are spaced longitudinally with respect to the portion of the sound record correlated thereto, on the picture film the index numerals corresponding to each picture are recorded immediately adjacent said picture to which they are correlated.

Figure 7 shows a sound motion picture film I55 for use in exhibiting sound motion pictures in foreign languages. For illustration this film is assumed to be a positive release print, having pictures I9 on picture track I9a. On this film the sound track I9I includes incidental or music record portions I92 -I92 and a dialogue portion I92, said dialogue portion being shown as blackened to cancel all reproduction of sound. This form of film is employed when the foreign dialogue is produced independently of the sound produced by film I99 during sound motion pic 55 of which is supported a motion picture screen 5. and to the rear of which are positioned one or more loud speakers, as 55 and 55 preferably supported by said screen as more fully disclosed by my Patent No. 1,990,754, granted February 1-2, 1935, said loud speakers being connected to amplifying or gain units as 59 arranged to amplify the modulated energy impulses picked up by the microphones as 59, as the speakers as direct their voices thereinto. Sound motion picture projector 52 positioned in a projection booth as of said theater is arranged to normally project the picture of action track I 9a onto screen 51 for exhibition purposes.

Sound motion picture projector 52 is arranged to drive a silent picture projector 54 in synchronism therewith, a suitable synchronizing conmotion as 59 connecting said projectors. Projector 55 is arranged to project a duplicate film I9 onto screen 55 positioned within view of the speakers as I-5I and the operator 55 attending the musical sound reproducing instrument;

or phonograph as 51, of known form, or said projector may if desired project a photographic record of the dialogue print 99 as shown and more fully-described in my applicatio Serial No. 381,793, filed July 29, 1929, maturing to Patent No. 2,147,499, granted February 14, 1939. Sound motion picture projector 52 is also arranged to reproduce the sound record of film I99 said reproduced sound being suitably amplified before reproduction by the loud speaker 55 and/or 59., switches as 52-52 being arranged to select anyone or both of said speakers for reproducing said sound at the rear of screen 51.

Also arranged to be advanced by rollers 59--59 of depicting apparatus 19 in view of speakers 5I-9I and operator 55, is the dialogue or sound depicting print 99, said print being advanced by roller 59 driven by motor 1I through worm and'gear 12 and 12, said motor being actuated by the synchronizing connection 55 through auxiliary connection 15 whereby the frame scale 25 of print 99 is advanced at a rate of travel synchronous with the frame travel of the films I5 or I99 as and when advanced by the pro- 5 jectors 52 and 55.

The musical sound producing instrument, or phonograph apparatus 51 is arrangedto produce accompanying incidental music, song, or other sounds through the loud speakers as 54, 58 or preferably positioned as more fully disclosed by my Patent No. 1,990,754, granted February 12, .1935, a'suitable amplifying unit as 15 being arranged to control the volume of the sounds produced thereby. 15,

Whereas the screen 55, apparatus 19, musical instrument 51, microphone 59 and the speakers as-5I--5I are shown as positioned within an enclosure which may be to the rear of screen 51,

/ where space so permits it, is preferred to position said apparatus and persons adjacentthe projection booth as shown by Fig. 8,, the enclosure 99 being sound proof and having a sound proof light opening 5|, whereby the speakers as 5I5I may view the action projectedonto screen 51, when not called upon to view the sound chart 95.

The musical instrument 51 is also preferably placed withirran enclosure as 53 adjacent booth 59, also having a sound proof light. window as 9| whereby the operator 55' may yiew the advancing print 99 and the action onscreen 51.

Said enclosure may form part of enclosure 59 being separated therefrom by the sound proof wall as 94 therebetween. 8

Where space does not permit the musical instrument 51 may be placed in an enclosure as 55, remote from enclosure 99 and a duplicate advancing apparatus as 19 placed therein for directing the operator 55. With such a separated '0 enclosure the light opening may also permit the entrance of sound whereby the operator 55 may adjust the amplifying or gain unit 59 and 15 by rotating the handles 91 and 55, or if the light opening is sound proof, suitable monitor speak- 5" ers as 9I-9I connected to said amplifying units may be placed in enclosures 59 and 55 whereby the-volume of speakers 54-59 and 15 may be properly adjusted.

Telescope or optical device 52 adjustably sup- N ported by socket member 99 secured to wall 95 of booth 59, is arranged to be directed onto screen 51 whereby the projectionist 95 may at any time determine the sharpness of focus of the image projected onto said screen.

Sound charts 99 and H are preferably formed of translucent material. When completed said charts are utilized for making prints to be ad- 'vanced by apparatus 19 for reproducing dialogue and other sounds to be accompanied to the pic- U tures projected by release print I99 during exhibition.

length equal to the entire feature or picture to 79 be exhibited and suitable starting and stopping notations are placed on said charts indicating when each of the several films, making up a feature picture, are to be started and stopped,

it being assumed that the projectionist assists in 99 producing the dialogue or incidental sounds to be reproduced independently of projector 6!, suitable starting marks being placed at the starting end of the films from. which the film is started when the projector is placed in operation as indicated by said sound charts.

As charts 30 or 4| are advanced and the words intersect said guide line 96, the speakers "-8! speak the lines into the microphone 6. and simultaneouslythey are reproduced by the loud speakers as 58, to the accompaniment of and in synchronlsm with the exhibited action, said speech being of a highly refined form of transmitted wave energy. Simultaneously the operator 89' produced by sound motion picture projector 92,

the sound volume being faded in and out between successive scenes as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,929,518 issued October 10, 1933.

Whereas the dialogue portion III! on sound track IOI of sound motion picture film I09 may be blackened to cancel reproduction of the dialogue, said portions may have incidental sound or accompanying music recorded thereon for reproduction to the accompaniment of the independently reproduced foreign dialogue during exhibition, or said portions may have the foreign dialogue recorded thereon solely or may include both said foreign dialogue and the incidental sounds or music for accompaniment thereto. The foreign dialogue may be printed on 'said portions I03 from indexed sound prints onto which said foreign sound is recorded by observing the advanced sound charts III or ll or by observation of the indexed projected pic'- tures i9. After the preparation of said last named indexed sound film the sound thereon together with the incidental sound of film II is printed or rerecorded onto a new indexed sound film whereafter said last named film together with the indexed picture record are synchronously printed or rerccorded onto a single sound motion picture film from which duplicate prints may be made for use in exhibiting the original feature as a feature -in which the dialogue will be reproduced in a suitable, foreign language, the incidental sounds and the picture appearing as originally recorded. The recording of the foreign dialogue onto an indexed sound film may be carried out as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,929,519 issued October 10, 1933.

Whereas the readers ii are shown, as being guided by the advanced chart 30, upon becoming skilled the apparatus I and chart 3! may be dispensed with, said readers producing the dialogue from a script receiving their one by observing the projected pictures on screen 51.

Where projectors is! are equipped for sound the musical instruments 6! may also be dispensed with, since the incidental music will be reproduced by the loud speakers N and/or 58.

Whereas the sound reproducing enclosures as 80 have been shown as sound proof, such special structure is not ordinarily required since the spealoers 6| may speak in comparatively low tones, the volume of which is suitably amplified before being reproduced by the speakers l 4 and/or 58.

It is pointed out that when readers OI produce the dialogue amplified through the loud speakers I and/or II a more faithful reproduction of human voices is obtained since all ground noises associated with reproduction from film or disc are eliminated. Furthermore, by reproducing the dialogue and incidental sounds separately each may be varied in volume or place if it is found that the original combination is in any way unsatisfactory during exhibition.

As shown by chart ll the dialogue may be recorded in shorthand thereby materially reducing the length of said chart.

If desired the charts as 30 or ll may be photographically recorded onto motion picture film, the frame travel track scale 38 being advanced synchronously with the frame travel of the recording film, whereafter prints of said film may be projected by projector 84 for observation by speaker ll.

Whereas the initial recording of both sound and action has been shown onto separated films the recording of sound may be omitted and the dialogue prints as I. and ll may be prepared from observing the projection of the action, the book of lines or script as In, or the actors themselves furnishing the clues to the spoken words or lines.

Charts 90 and II may also be prepared by reproducing the dialogue on sound film ll after the recording thereof, the operator 3! recording the original reproduced dialogue in shorthand on chart ll whereafter the foreign interpretations of said dialogue are recorded onto parallel lines of said cha'rt in synchronism with the original dialogue as recorded in shorthand whereafter the shorthand recording of the dialogue in a foreign language may be rerecorded in longhand in said foreign language onto a chart II.

This application forms a continuation in part application of my copending application Serial No. 386,684, filed August 17, 1929.

The methods above illustrated and described should be construed merely as typical and not as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appending claims.

What I claim is:

1. The method of producing sound motion picture films in differing languages which involves, photographically recording correlated motion pictures and variably spaced variable length native word sequences onto separate sound and picture films, projecting said picture recordand the sound wave recordof said word sequences synchronously, recording foreign word sequences corresponding in length and spacing to said projected sound wave sequences onto a sound chart, advancing said chart and a foreign version sound film synchronously, vocally producing sound in accord with the foreign word sequences on said advancing chart simultaneously with recording said sound onto said-foreign version film and combining said picture record and said foreign word sequence film record synchronously onto a common sound motion picture film.

2. The method of producing sound motion picture films in differing languages'which involves, photographically recording correlated motion pictures and variable length variably spaced native word sequences onto separate picture and sound films, projecting the sound wave record of said sound film, recording foreign word seque'ces corresponding in length and spacing to said projected record onto a sound chart, advancing said chart and a foreign version sound film synchronously, vocally producing sound in accord with the foreign word sequences on said advancing chart simultaneously with recording said sound onto said foreign version film, and combining said picture film record and said foreign version film record synchronously onto a common sound motion picture film.

3. The method of producing sound motion picture films in differing languages which involves, photographically recording correlated motion picture and variable length variably spaced native word'sequences onto separate picture and sound films, observing the sound wave record on said-sound film and recording foreign word sequences onto a sound chart synchronously with said sound film record, advancing said chart and a foreign version sound film synchronously, vocally producing sound in accord with the foreign word sequences on said advancing chart simultaneously with recording said sound onto said foreign version film, and combining said picture film record and said foreign version film record word sequences corresponding in length and spacing.to said projected sound wave sequences onto a sound chart, advancing saidchart and a foreign .version sound film synchronously, vocally producing foreign word sequences in. accord with said advancing chart simultaneously with recording said sequences onto said foreign version film, and combining said picture film record, said music film record and said foreign version film record synchronously onto a. common sound motion picture film.

5. The method of producing sound motion picture films in differing languages which involves, photographically recording correlated motion picture and variable length variably spaced native word sequences onto separate picture and sound films, photographically recordlng selected musical or incidental sound sequences onto a music film for accompaniment to said picture and word sequences, projecting the sound wave record of said word sequence film, recording foreign word sequences corresponding in length and spacing to said projected sound wave sequences onto a sound chart, advancing said chart and a synchronously onto a common sound motion rforeign version sound film synchronously, vocal picture film.

4, The method of producing sound motion picture films in differing languages which involves, photographically recording correlated motion picture and variably spaced variable length native word sequences and musical sequences onto separate films, projecting the pic-- 1y producing sound in accord with the foreign word sequences on said advancing chart simultaneously with recording said sequences onto said foreign version film, and combining said picture film record, said music film record and said foreign version film record synchronously onto a common sound motion picturefilm.

OSCAR A. ROSS. 

